Sports briefs

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Apr 23, 2008 | by Associated Press

Seahawks cut RB Alexander

KIRKLAND, Wash. -- The Seattle Seahawks released former MVP Shaun Alexander, just 26 months after he signed a $62 million contract as the franchise's cornerstone.

Seahawks president Tim Ruskell said Tuesday the team released Alexander unconditionally hours after the running back passed a physical. It's been a rapid fall for the 30-year-old. When he signed that mammoth deal, he was coming off an MVP season in 2005 and a Super Bowl appearance. Now he's looking for work, coming off of two unimpressive and injury-filled seasons.

"Yeah, it's sad, really," Ruskell said after announcing a move that had been expected in Seattle for six weeks, since the signings of free agent running backs Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett. "He's been such an upstanding guy through my whole tenure here. I don't think we have that Super Bowl run if it wasn't for Shaun.

"It shows you have tough this game is, how ever-changing it is, how you can't play forever. ... You just can't do it."

Alexander will try again in 2008. The three-time Pro Bowl runner, whose last two seasons have been his worst, said he is not retiring.

"I will be playing for another NFL team this fall, and doing everything I can to contribute," said Alexander, who ran for just 716 yards in 13 games last season -- his lowest total since he replaced Ricky Watters as Seattle's lead back in 2001.

"I am healthy, energized and looking forward to beginning the next chapter of my NFL career," he said.

"My family will remain in the Seattle area, and when my days in the NFL do eventually come to an end, I plan to retire here. Our hearts are woven into the fabric of this community, we are blessed to be part of it, and we enjoy contributing to it in every way we can. Thank you, Seattle." -->

The Seahawks were waiting for Alexander's broken left wrist to heal before releasing him. He played the final 15 games of the regular season plus January's playoffs wearing a cast on that. Tuesday morning doctors declared the 19th overall draft choice in 2000 fully healthy to participate in minicamps this spring.

Hours later, he was unemployed and released from the eight-year contract he signed weeks after the 2006 Super Bowl, which agent Jim Steiner at the time said was the richest ever for an NFL running back.

That season Alexander set an NFL record with 28 touchdowns and a franchise record with 1,880 yards rushing. Then he severely bruised his left foot while getting tackled in the 2006 opener. He kept playing on it and soon broke it, the first major injury of his football career, and missed six games. Last season, he broke his left wrist in Week 1. In November, he missed three games with a sprained left knee.

The cutback lanes he used to create began closing on him faster than he could run. His trademark hesitation, which used to deftly set up blocks, suddenly just invited defenders to swarm him in place -- and his home fans to boo him. Coach Mike Holmgren said the injuries and Alexander simply having nowhere to run were the reasons for his steep decline.

Riise own-goal gives Chelsea hope

LIVERPOOL, England -- Liverpool's John Arne Riise accidentally headed the ball into his own net in the fifth minute of injury time, giving Chelsea a 1-1 tie Tuesday night in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals.

Dirk Kuyt put Liverpool ahead in the 43rd minute when he beat goalkeeper Petr Cech from close range after Javier Mascherano's mis- hit spun over Chelsea's Claude Makelele.

But Riise tied it when his diving header to clear Salomon Kalou's cross for Nicolas Anelka went in from about 5 yards. Goalkeeper Pepe Reina had no chance to stop the ball.

UNLV hires former UCLA coach

LAS VEGAS -- UNLV has hired former UCLA coach and Lady Rebels player Kathy Olivier as the new women's coach.

Athletic director Mike Hamrick made the announcement Tuesday, praising Olivier's 15 years as head coach at UCLA.

Olivier, 48, becomes the eighth head coach in the Lady Rebels' 33- year history, replacing Regina Miller, who was removed after 10 years. She finished with a 175-125 record at UNLV.

Olivier, who resigned last month after the Bruins finished the season 16-15, said she was thrilled to return to coaching at her alma mater.

UMass set to hire Kellogg as coach

BOSTON -- The University of Massachusetts has agreed to hire Memphis assistant and former Minuteman player Derek Kellogg as the new basketball coach, The Associated Press learned Tuesday.

Kellogg takes over from Travis Ford, who left to coach at Oklahoma State, a UMass official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the announcement was scheduled for Wednesday.

Kellogg, 34, played at UMass from 1991-95 under current Memphis coach John Calipari and was an All-Atlantic 10 player.

Ex-WHL president Chynoweth dies

CALGARY -- Ed Chynoweth, a former president of the Western Hockey League and Canadian Hockey League, died Tuesday. He was 66.

Chynoweth was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2006. A WHL spokesman confirmed Chynoweth died Tuesday morning.

Chynoweth served as the WHL president from 1972 to 1995. The league recently renamed its championship trophy the Ed Chynoweth Cup. He was CHL president from 1975 to 1995.

Djokovic advances at Monte Carlo

MONTE CARLO, Monaco -- Novak Djokovic advanced to the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters by defeating Ivan Ljubicic 6-3, 6-3 Tuesday.